1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotational element position detector for an automotive door latch assembly in which a rotational position of the rotational element can be detected by means of an electric switch.
2. Description of the Related Art
In automotive door latch assemblies, there exists a rotational element position detector in which a plurality of toothed portions are provided on an outer circumference of a rotational element (a latch) that is rotatably supported on a housing and a plurality of toothed portion which are capable of meshing with the toothed portions of the rotational element are provided on a rotation detection lever (a sector member) of an electric switch mounted on the housing, so that the rotation detection lever of the electric switch is made to rotate while following the rotation of the rotational element, whereby a rotational position of the rotational element is detected based on the rotational position of the rotation detection lever (for example, refer to JP-A-2002-339625).
In the related art rotational element position detector that has been described just above, however, in installing the rotational element and the electric switch in the housing, there may occur an erroneous installation in which the toothed portions of the rotational element and the electric switch are made to mesh with each other while the rotational element and the electric switch are positioned so as not to correspond to each other. In case such an erroneous installation occurs, the detecting position of the rotation detection lever which follows the rotating rotational element is caused to deviate from the normal position, and hence the rotational position of the rotational element cannot be detected accurately.